the narrative of the life-第9章

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a　witty　word；　even　with　the　slaves；　not　so　with　Mr。

Gore。　　He　spoke　but　to　command；　and　commanded

but　to　be　obeyed；　he　dealt　sparingly　with　his　words；

and　bountifully　with　his　whip；　never　using　the

former　where　the　latter　would　answer　as　well。　　When

he　whipped；　he　seemed　to　do　so　from　a　sense　of

duty；　and　feared　no　consequences。　　He　did　nothing

reluctantly；　no　matter　how　disagreeable；　always　at　his

post；　never　inconsistent。　　He　never　promised　but　to

fulfil。　　He　was；　in　a　word；　a　man　of　the　most　in…

flexible　firmness　and　stone…like　coolness。

　

　　His　savage　barbarity　was　equalled　only　by　the　con…

summate　coolness　with　which　he　committed　the

grossest　and　most　savage　deeds　upon　the　slaves　under

his　charge。　　Mr。　Gore　once　undertook　to　whip　one　of

Colonel　Lloyd's　slaves；　by　the　name　of　Demby。　　He

had　given　Demby　but　few　stripes；　when；　to　get　rid

of　the　scourging；　he　ran　and　plunged　himself　into　a

creek；　and　stood　there　at　the　depth　of　his　shoulders；

refusing　to　come　out。　　Mr。　Gore　told　him　that　he

would　give　him　three　calls；　and　that；　if　he　did　not

come　out　at　the　third　call；　he　would　shoot　him。

The　first　call　was　given。　　Demby　made　no　response；

but　stood　his　ground。　　The　second　and　third　calls

were　given　with　the　same　result。　　Mr。　Gore　then；

without　consultation　or　deliberation　with　any　one；

not　even　giving　Demby　an　additional　call；　raised

his　musket　to　his　face；　taking　deadly　aim　at　his

standing　victim；　and　in　an　instant　poor　Demby　was

no　more。　　His　mangled　body　sank　out　of　sight；　and

blood　and　brains　marked　the　water　where　he　had

stood。

　

　　A　thrill　of　horror　flashed　through　every　soul　upon

the　plantation；　excepting　Mr。　Gore。　　He　alone

seemed　cool　and　collected。　　He　was　asked　by　Colonel

Lloyd　and　my　old　master；　why　he　resorted　to　this

extraordinary　expedient。　　His　reply　was；　（as　well　as

I　can　remember；）　that　Demby　had　become　unman…

ageable。　　He　was　setting　a　dangerous　example　to　the

other　slaves；one　which；　if　suffered　to　pass　without

some　such　demonstration　on　his　part；　would　finally

lead　to　the　total　subversion　of　all　rule　and　order

upon　the　plantation。　　He　argued　that　if　one　slave　re…

fused　to　be　corrected；　and　escaped　with　his　life；　the

other　slaves　would　soon　copy　the　example；　the　re…

sult　of　which　would　be；　the　freedom　of　the　slaves；

and　the　enslavement　of　the　whites。　　Mr。　Gore's　de…

fence　was　satisfactory。　　He　was　continued　in　his　sta…

tion　as　overseer　upon　the　home　plantation。　　His

fame　as　an　overseer　went　abroad。　　His　horrid　crime

was　not　even　submitted　to　judicial　investigation。　　It

was　committed　in　the　presence　of　slaves；　and　they　of

course　could　neither　institute　a　suit；　nor　testify

against　him；　and　thus　the　guilty　perpetrator　of　one　of

the　bloodiest　and　most　foul　murders　goes　unwhipped

of　justice；　and　uncensured　by　the　community　in

which　he　lives。　　Mr。　Gore　lived　in　St。　Michael's；　Tal…

bot　county；　Maryland；　when　I　left　there；　and　if　he

is　still　alive；　he　very　probably　lives　there　now；　and　if

so；　he　is　now；　as　he　was　then；　as　highly　esteemed

and　as　much　respected　as　though　his　guilty　soul

had　not　been　stained　with　his　brother's　blood。

　

　　I　speak　advisedly　when　I　say　this；that　killing

a　slave；　or　any　colored　person；　in　Talbot　county；

Maryland；　is　not　treated　as　a　crime；　either　by　the

courts　or　the　community。　　Mr。　Thomas　Lanman；　of

St。　Michael's；　killed　two　slaves；　one　of　whom　he

killed　with　a　hatchet；　by　knocking　his　brains　out。　　He

used　to　boast　of　the　commission　of　the　awful　and

bloody　deed。　　I　have　heard　him　do　so　laughingly；

saying；　among　other　things；　that　he　was　the　only

benefactor　of　his　country　in　the　company；　and　that

when　others　would　do　as　much　as　he　had　done；　we

should　be　relieved　of　〃the　dd　niggers。〃

　

　　The　wife　of　Mr。　Giles　Hicks；　living　but　a　short

distance　from　where　I　used　to　live；　murdered　my

wife's　cousin；　a　young　girl　between　fifteen　and　six…

teen　years　of　age；　mangling　her　person　in　the　most

horrible　manner；　breaking　her　nose　and　breastbone

with　a　stick；　so　that　the　poor　girl　expired　in　a　few

hours　afterward。　　She　was　immediately　buried；　but

had　not　been　in　her　untimely　grave　but　a　few　hours

before　she　was　taken　up　and　examined　by　the　cor…

oner；　who　decided　that　she　had　come　to　her　death

by　severe　beating。　　The　offence　for　which　this　girl

was　thus　murdered　was　this：She　had　been　set

that　night　to　mind　Mrs。　Hicks's　baby；　and　during　the

night　she　fell　asleep；　and　the　baby　cried。　　She；　having

lost　her　rest　for　several　nights　previous；　did　not　hear

the　crying。　　They　were　both　in　the　room　with　Mrs。

Hicks。　　Mrs。　Hicks；　finding　the　girl　slow　to　move；

jumped　from　her　bed；　seized　an　oak　stick　of　wood

by　the　fireplace；　and　with　it　broke　the　girl's　nose

and　breastbone；　and　thus　ended　her　life。　　I　will　not

say　that　this　most　horrid　murder　produced　no　sen…

sation　in　the　community。　　It　did　produce　sensation；

but　not　enough　to　bring　the　murderess　to　punish…

ment。　　There　was　a　warrant　issued　for　her　arrest；

but　it　was　never　served。　　Thus　she　escaped　not　only

punishment；　but　even　the　pain　of　being　arraigned

before　a　court　for　her　horrid　crime。

　

　　Whilst　I　am　detailing　bloody　deeds　which　took

place　during　my　stay　on　Colonel　Lloyd's　plantation；

I　will　briefly　narrate　another；　which　occurred　about

the　same　time　as　the　murder　of　Demby　by　Mr。

Gore。

　

　　Colonel　Lloyd's　slaves　were　in　the　habit　of　spend…

ing　a　part　of　their　nights　and　Sundays　in　fishing　for

oysters；　and　in　this　way　made　up　the　deficiency　of

their　scanty　allowance。　　An　old　man　belonging　to

Colonel　Lloyd；　while　thus　engaged；　happened　to　get

beyond　the　limits　of　Colonel　Lloyd's；　and　on　the

premises　of　Mr。　Beal　Bondly。　　At　this　trespass；　Mr。

Bondly　took　offence；　and　with　his　musket　came

down　to　the　shore；　and　blew　its　deadly　contents

into　the　poor　old　man。

　

　　Mr。　Bondly　came　over　to　see　Colonel　Lloyd　the

next　day；　whether　to　pay　him　for　his　property；　or

to　justify　himself　in　what　he　had　done；　I　know　not。

At　any　rate；　this　whole　fiendish　transaction　was　soon

hushed　up。　　There　was　very　little　said　about　it　at　all；

and　nothing　done。　　It　was　a　common　saying；　even

among　little　white　boys；　that　it　was　worth　a　half…

cent　to　kill　a　〃nigger；〃　and　a　half…cent　to　bury　one。

　

　

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　V

　

　

　　As　to　my　own　treatment　while　I　lived　on　Colonel

Lloyd's　plantation；　it　was　very　similar　to　that　of　the

other　slave　children。　　I　was　not　old　enough　to　work　in

the　field；　and　there　being　little　else　than　field　work

to　do；　I　had　a　great　deal　of　leisure　time。　　The　most

I　had　to　do　was　to　drive　up　the　cows　at　evening；

keep　the　fowls　out　of　the　garden；　keep　the　front

yard　clean；　and　run　of　errands　for　my　old　master's

daughter；　Mrs。　Lucretia　Auld。　　The　most　of　my　lei…

sure　time　I　spent　in　helping　Master　Daniel　Lloyd

in　finding　his　birds；　after　he　had　shot　them。　　My

connection　with　Master　Daniel　was　of　some　advan…

tage　to　me。　　He　became　quite　attached　to　me；　and

was　a　sort　of　protector　of　me。　　He　would　not　allow

the　older　boys　to　impose　upon　me；　and　would　divide

his　cakes　with　me。

　

　　I　was　seldom　whipped　by　my　old　master；　and　suf…

fered　little　from　any　thing　else　than　hunger　and

cold。　　I　suffered　much　from　hunger；　but　much　more

from　cold。　　In　hottest　summer　and　coldest　winter；　I

was　kept　almost　nakedno　shoes；　no　stockings；　no

jacket；　no　trousers；　nothing　on　but　a　coarse　tow　linen

shirt；　reaching　only　to　my　knees。　　I　had　no　bed。　　I

must　have　perished　with　cold；　but　that；　the　coldest

nights；　I　used　to　steal　a　bag　which　was　used　for　carry…

ing　corn　to　the　mill。　　I　would　crawl　into　this　bag；

and　there　sleep　on　the　cold；　damp；　clay　floor；　with

my　head　in　and　feet　out。　　My　feet　have　been　so

cracked　with　the　frost；　that　the　pen　with　which　I

am　writing　might　be　laid　in　the　gashes。

　

　　We　were　not　regularly　allowanced。　　Our　food　was

coarse　corn　meal　boiled。　　This　was　called　MUSH